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We’ve already talked about the rarest stamps from Germany, France, the UK, Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Australia, Canada, Spain, Portugal, Israel, Vatican, Italy, Switzerland, New Zealand, and United States. Today we’ll take a look at the first Belgian Congo stamps.
Congo is the country with rich history starting with the Kingdom of Kongo in 1390, and followed by the kingdoms of Luba, Lunda, Kingdom of Kuba, Kingdom of Chokwe, and Yeke Kingdom. After that, starting with 1876 the colonization started. The worst part of it happened from 1885 to 1908, during the Congo Free State, ruled by King Leopold II of Belgium. It’s estimated that under his reign between 1.5 and 13 million people died from epidemic disease, famine, and atrocities in general.
In 1908, as the result of atrocities, Leopold II wasn’t the one and only ruler of the Congo, but the Belgium took official control. The name of the state had been changed from the Independent State of the Congo to Belgian Congo.
This change also impacted the postal system, and changes started in 1908. First stamps used in Belgian Congo were Independent State of the Congo overprints.
There Overprints included: Port of Matadi, Stanley Falls, Oil Palm Trees, Inkissi Falls, Native Canoe, Railway Bridge over the M'pozo, African Elephant, Congo Village, Bangala Chief Morangi and Wife, "Deliverance" (stern wheel paddle-steamer).
Stanley Falls Stamp (overprinted)
Belgian Congo - 1908/01/01
10 c (Belgian centime)
"Boyoma Falls/ Stanley Falls, seven cataracts in the Lualaba River, central Congo (Kinshasa). The falls extend for 60 miles (100 km) along a curve of the river between Ubundu and Kisangani. The total fall in the river’s elevation is about 200 feet (60 m), and the seventh and largest cataract is 800 yards (730 m) wide. Beyond the cataract the Lualaba becomes the Congo River. A rail line goes around the falls, connecting river ports at Kisangani and Ubundu." - https://www.britannica.com/place/Boyoma-Falls
African Elephant (Loxodonta africana) Stamp (overprinted)
Belgian Congo - 1908/01/01
1 fr (Belgian franc)
Congo Village Stamp (overprinted)
Belgian Congo - 1908/01/01
3.50 fr (Belgian franc)
In 1909 more overprints followed, with “CONGO BELGE” text mostly used on previously printed Independent State of the Congo stamps. Still, at some point of 1909, the first Belgian Congo stamps were issued. They had the same denomination and shared the same design with previously overprinted stamps. The only difference was that “ETAT INDEPENDANT DU CONGO” had been replaced with "CONGO BELGE".
Four designs were reused here: Port of Matadi, Stanley Falls, Oil Palm Trees, Inkissi Falls, Railway Bridge over the M'pozo.
Port of Matadi "CONGO BELGE" Stamp
Belgian Congo - 1909/06/15
5 c (Belgian centime)
“Matadi is the chief sea port of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the capital of the Kongo Central province, adjacent to the border with Angola.” - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matadi
Oil Palm Trees "CONGO BELGE" Stamp
Belgian Congo - 1909/06/15
15 c (Belgian centime)
M'pozo Railway Bridge "CONGO BELGE" Stamp
Belgian Congo - 1909/06/15
50 c (Belgian centime)
The M'pozo railway bridge had been built over the M'pozo river and is the part of the Matadi–Kinshasa Railway which connects the chief Congo port Matadi, with the capital Kinshasa.
In 1910, the same 10 designed that were overprinted in 1908, were used again. This time the bilingual text "CONGO BELGE” & “BELGISCH-CONGO" had been used.
Inkissi falls "CONGO BELGE / BELGISCH-CONGO" Stamp
Belgian Congo - 1910/02/01
25 c (Belgian centime)
Congo has a lot of long rivers. The river Congo itself is the 2nd longest river in Africa (Nile is the 1st one) with an overall length of 4,734 kilometers. On of Congo rivers is the Inkisi river, and its’ falls were used as the motif for these first designs.
Native Canoe "CONGO BELGE / BELGISCH-CONGO" Stamp
Belgian Congo - 1910/09/15
40 c (Belgian centime)
Bangala Chief Morangi and Wife "CONGO BELGE / BELGISCH-CONGO" Stamp
Belgian Congo - 1910/09/15
5 fr (Belgian franc)
"Deliverance" (stern wheel paddle-steamer) "CONGO BELGE / BELGISCH-CONGO" Stamp
Belgian Congo - 1910/12/01
10 fr (Belgian franc)
Today we’ve seen some of the first stamps which were used in the Belgian Congo. Since these were turbulent years, there were a lot of variations and overprints. While it’s ungrateful to give estimates, some of them (alone, or in series) could be worth hundreds of dollars. While you wait for the next article, feel free to take a look at some of our previous articles related to rarest and most valuable stamps.
UK - Rarest Stamps: Most Valuable UK Stamps
France - Rarest Stamps: Most Valuable French Stamps
Germany - Rarest Stamps: Most Valuable German Stamps
Ireland - Rarest Stamps: Most Valuable Irish Stamps
Belgium - Rarest Stamps: Most Valuable Belgium Stamps
The Netherlands - Rarest Stamps: Most Valuable Dutch Stamps
Australia - Rarest Stamps: Most Valuable Australian Stamps
Canada - Rarest Stamps: Most Valuable Canadian Stamps
Spain - Rarest Stamps: Most Valuable Spanish Stamps
Portugal - Rarest Stamps: Most Valuable Portuguese Stamps
Israel - Rarest Stamps: Most Valuable Stamps of Israel
Vatican - Rarest Stamps: Most Valuable Vatican Stamps
Italy - Rarest Stamps: Most Valuable Italian Stamps
Switzerland - Rarest Stamps: Most Valuable Swiss Stamps
New Zealand - Rarest Stamps: Most Valuable New Zealand Stamps
United States of America - Rarest Stamps: Most Valuable U.S. Stamps
